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Deleting Podcasts from the Podcasts App

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Q: Can you delete a podcast completely in the Podcast app? I’ve deleted them successfully from iTunes, but they still show up in my Podcast app. It’s driving me nuts. I love the Podcast app graphics, but it’s frustrating to work with sometimes.

- Anonymous

A: If you’re using automatic synchronization with your iTunes library, removing podcasts from iTunes should normally remove them from your iOS device during the next synchronization.

However, it’s also important to make sure that all traces of the podcast have in fact been removed from your iTunes library, as it’s not uncommon to occasionally have individual episodes hiding outside the podcast subscription for various reasons. See Tracking down phantom Podcasts in iTunes for more information on how to deal with this.

Further, if you’ve subscribed to a Podcast from within the Podcasts app on your iOS device—either by initially adding it there or by enabling the “Subscription” option in the Podcast settings—it will persist on the device even after you’ve removed it from iTunes, since in this case the Podcasts app is considered the primary source of that Podcasts.

Regardless, you can remove any individual podcasts you don’t want in the Podcasts app simply by swiping to the top of the main podcast listing page; this will reveal a hidden toolbar at the top of the screen with options for editing, searching and changing between a grid or list view. Simply tap the “Edit” button and a deletion indicator will appear beside each podcast—a small “x” in the top corner of each cover in grid view, or the standard deletion symbol if you’re working in list view.

From here, simply tap the podcasts that you wish to remove and then tap the “Done” button when finished. Keep in mind that this will not remove these podcasts from your iTunes library, although under normal circumstances it should disable them from being re-synced to your iOS device.

Comments

1

Thank you for this article. I was starting to get frustrated by the unsubscribed podcasts sitting in my podcast list.

Posted by Bryan on October 19, 2012 at 7:56 AM (CDT)

2

Hi,
I have an iphone 3 and I cannot delete directly from the phone as your suggested. It may be my version of the iphone or it may be that iTunes just sucks.

I don’t often download and listen to podcasts but when I do I want to do it with ease. Alas, the expected ease of Apple is mucked up in iTunes. I open ITunes to get my podcasts and what do I find but the iTunes store to download more podcasts or songs or whatever. I eventually find my podcasts in Music under More. What? And then there’s no way to delete it, or the music, videos and other unwanted media on my phone.

Oh, Apple, you used to be a distinctive choice above the rest, now you’re just one of the mucky mob.

Posted by Paul O on January 8, 2013 at 1:42 AM (CST)

3

THANK YOU! Sometimes the solution is right in front of you and still you can’t see it. Appreciate this information since I was getting very frustrated with old podcasts cluttering up my app.

Posted by RC on January 14, 2013 at 5:21 PM (CST)

4

This is helpful to delete one’s subscription. HOWEVER, how do I delete individual episodes of podcasts I already listened to? According to my settings, they should be gone because (a) I have listened to them and (b) they are not the 3 most recent episodes. YET, my iPhone is still filled with old episodes of podcasts I have already listened to…months ago.

Any thoughts?

Posted by YBG on January 30, 2013 at 9:05 PM (CST)

5

I have the exact issue as #4, I want my phone to auto-delete old podcast episodes.

Posted by DW on February 8, 2013 at 12:00 PM (CST)

6

Same issue as 4 and 5. I want to free up storage space and stop having to scroll to find the episode I left off on within a podcast I subscribe to that has hundreds of episodes.